| The
Republic
Thou, too, sail on, O Ship
of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong
and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future
years,
Is hanging breathless on
the fate!
We know what Master laid
the keel,
What Workmen wrought thy
ribs of steel,
Who made each mast, and
sail, and rope,
What anvils rang, what hammers
beat,
In what forge and what a
heat
Were shaped the anchors
of thy hope!
Fear not each sudden sound
and shock,
'Tis of the wave and not
the rock;
'Tis but the flapping of
the sail,
And not a rent made by the
gale!
In spite of rock and tempest's
roar,
In spite of false lights
on the shore,
Sail on, nor fear to breast
the sea!
Our hearts, our hopes, are
all with thee,
Our hearts, our hopes, our
prayers, our tears,
Our faith triumphant o'er
our fears,
Are all with thee, - are
all with thee!
-Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow, from "The Building Of The Ship"
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